Black Sanctuary Gardens

摘要

What is a sanctuary space? Who needs it? Who owns it? And how do we create it?Chef and food activist, Shakirah Simley writes about sanctuary as "the dire need to carve out physical, psychological, and social food spaces for those constantly on the periphery." In the wake of Oakland's shifting demographics and massive displacement,my artistic work aims to work within the realm of gardens and gardening to bring aesthetic refuge, nourishment, and cultural connection to black women and black spaces who have historically sustained, and continue to shape and preserve the Oakland community.